Vampire Academy: A Journey to Find One's Self
by hungrycookiemoster
Summary: In was in this moment that everything I had ever been taught about our race was challenged. As I sat on the bathroom floor, I was forced to consider the possibility that when Lissa saved me, she had changed me into something unheard of. Rose's POV.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: Although I wished I owned these marvelous characters...sadly I do not :(**** These characters belong to Richelle Mead.**

**This story takes place in Blood Promise. In the book, Dimitri brings Rose outside the building complex that she has been held at and they have a conversation about the flowers. After being brought back inside her suite, Dimitri once again explains to Rose that she needs to make a decision about whether or not to join him as a Strigoi. In my story, Rose has not had the dream in which Adrian comes to her in order to convince her to return to Lissa. Rose also doesn't know about Avery being a spirit user.**

**Set up for the story: Rose has been noticing some weird symptoms lately. In order to discover if her fears are correct, she convinces Nath into buy her something and in return she will give him Lissa. Of course Rose would never give Lissa to Nathan. It is just a simple lie in order for him to bring her what she needs.**

After the car crash, I knew I had become something different. I mean, seeing ghosts and having nausea symptoms every time a Strogoi was around was proof enough that something in me had definitely changed. In the past, I had always disclosed these "shadow kissed" symptoms as being related to my near death experience. Like I had now become connected to the dead in some way. Not once had I concluded that these symptoms could have been the result of Lissa's magic. Was it possible that in the act of bringing me back to life, Lissa's spiritual magic could have altered my biological make up so drastically?

A child between a Moroi and human is called a Dhampir. Decades before, Moroi and human relationships were allowed. However, due to inexpiable reasons, human's and Moroi's relationships are forbidden now. It would seem that since Moroi and humans are no longer allowed to have relationships that the Dhampir race would cease to exist. Two Morois create a baby Moroi. On the other hand, two Dhampirs don't make a baby Dhampir. For some unexplained reason, Dhampirs are unable to reproduce with one another. Therefore, in order to further the Dhampir race, a Moroi must mate with a Dhampir, which would result in a baby Dhampir.

Today, if two Dhampir's are in a relationship with one another, it is looked down upon. People always ask, 'What is the point of them being in a relationship together if they are unable to have child'. True, in the past, I have found myself questioning the same things about Dhampirs' relationships.

That was until this very moment. Everything I had ever been taught about Morois, Dhampirs and humans had not prepared me for what I had just discovered. As I sat on the bathroom floor staring at the white stick, which had inevitably changed my life forever with a simple symbol, I was forced to consider the possibilities that I had become something different. Something unexplained through decades of research on Morois, Dhampirs, and humans. I wasn't quite sure about the something I had become but I suddenly found myself needing to know what was happening to me. If the laws of nature prevented Dhampirs from being able to reproduce with one another, then what growing inside of me?

Before today, I had contemplated on whether or not I would agree to become a Strigoi just like Dimitri wanted. The one thing that prevented me from giving in to Dimitri had been Lissa. I was never quite sure if I could leave her alone in this world without me. Now, I was absolutely sure there was no way I could make the decision about becoming a Strigoi until I figured out what was happening to me.

Therefore, I had to escape.

**I have been thinking about this story for a long time so I decided to post it.**

**I'm writing another Vampire Academy story right now and will be continuing with it. However, I wanted to see how people felt about this storyline and if I should continue to pursue it.**

**Here is my other story: .net/s/5642484/1/True_Love_A_Story_about_Rose_and_Dimitri**

**Review and tell me if this storyline is something to continue with.**

**Thank you.**


	2. Chapter 2

**New update...I'm truly sorry for the long wait.**

**I have decided to write three stories at the same time which was a bit much for me in the beginning. To make up for this stress, I have actually wrote 20 chapters for this story already but I'm still deciding whether or not I will realease them all now or do it slowly. **

**Anyways here is the new chapter...enjoy. **

As I raced around the room searching for items that would assist me in my escape, I suddenly realized that the endorphins that were in my system from the bite I received earlier from Dimitri, were fading quickly. Although I still felt a bit unstable as I frantically raced around the room, my judgment was pretty clear. I knew what I had to do. I needed to get away from Dimitri as soon as possible. However, that was easier said than done. Even if I managed to get past the maximum security doors, I will still need to attend to the many Stigois I would encounter during my flight out of this building. Sure, I was Rose Hathaway and hadn't taken down armies before but now with my endorphin withdraw and no stake the odds of escaping this place unharmed were looking pretty grim. I hate to admit it but I am in need of some serious help.

Nathan. Yes, I needed Nathan. When I had promised him Lissa a few days ago, he was ecstatic at the opportunity to take down the last remaining Dragonmire. So much so that he was even willing to meet my unusual demand of buying me a pregnancy test. When I had offered to give him Lissa, we had never agreed on when he would get the chance to have her. I had only told him soon. At the moment, my only concern was obtaining what I wanted. Of course I never had any intentions of following up on that demand. But now, if I could make him think that the time had come to claim his prize, I'm sure that he would agree to break me out of here. I'm sure this task won't be easy. In order to help me escape, Nathan will not only be going against Dimitri but Galina also. I only hope with the prospect of becoming famous due to the killing the last Dragonmire will override his sense of obligation to Galina and Dimitri. Then again, Strigois are typically egotistic.

It was the sound of the first door unlocking that brought me out of my escape plan. Suddenly I began to panic. Dimitri can't come now. I had promised to give him an answer earlier about becoming one of the undead. If he walks through the door right now then my entire plan will be ruined. With my new found information, I can't afford to allow myself to become a Strigoi. On the other hand, if I were to reject Dimitri's offer at eternal life, would I die?

Fortunately, as someone proceeded to type in the code to open the second door, I realized that I felt no nausea. The person about to enter the suite was not a Strigoi. My suspicions were confirmed as I watched Inna walk into the room and place what appeared to be my dinner on the table. Until now, I had been so consumed in thought about how I would use Nathan to escape, I hadn't thought about how I would get to Nathan. Usually, Nathan didn't stop by my room on an everyday basis. Now, with Inna here, I could tell her to bring Nathan to me. Ordinarily, I was not a lucky person, but in this very moment luck was on my side. Inna would bring Nathan to me and we would escape here. Of course once I was away from here, I would have to lose Nathan and deal with the major issue growing in side of me but that was a later issue I can't let myself dwell on right now.

"Inna!" I said abruptly.

As soon as I yelled her name, I saw Inna jump. It was obvious I had startled her. Typically when Inna brought me my food, I rarely spoke to her.

"_I need your help_." I said trying to emphasize every word. Dimitri had told me before that Inna didn't speak English. However, he also told me that she would figure out what I was saying. From the look on her face I could tell she was confused. I had thought that by saying the words slowly she would understand what I was trying to say but in reality she looked just as confused as I did when people spoke to me in Russian.

"Food." Inna said pointing to the food. "Dimitri said bring…"

Apparently she thought I was asking her about the food. However this gave me an idea. Inna knew names. If I asked for Nathan maybe she would understand that I needed her to bring him to me.

"No…um…Nathan..." I said pointing to myself. "Nathan…me."

"Nathan?" Inna said confused. " No Dimitri said bring." She said shaking her head obviously still thinking I was talking about the food.

I was starting to become frustrated in my failed attempts to explain to her what I wanted when I realized that then answer was in front of me. Inna knew the word _bring_.

"_Bring_ Nathan." I said pointing to the door and then to myself. "Nathan…me."

"Nathan." Inna said wary and then began to walk to the door and secretly put in the security code to let herself out.

As I watched Inna walk out the door, I shifted in my standing position nervously. When the secured door shut behind her, I suddenly began to rethink my plan. I could have easily forced Inna to give me the code or codes to unlock the doors. However, once outside the secured doors, how many Strogios would be patrolling the halls? When Dimitri had taken me out for the stroll outside, I saw very few Strogios, aside from Nathan, however, I had been with Dimitri then. Now that Dimitri wasn't with me, would more Strogios be stationed outside my door? Dimitri had placed me in this high security facility for a reason. He knew I was dangerous. He knew I would try to escape. Although I had quit my attempts in escaping long ago, would he still take precaution? These were questions I couldn't answer.

As I continued to think up the worse case scenarios in escaping without Nathan, my nervousness began to fade. Nathan was the best choice at escaping here unharmed. Nathan would know how many Strogios were outside my door and how to by pass them. My only hope is that he will be easy to control. True, I had developed this plan to escape by manipulating Nathan into helping me by using Lissa, but I had no reassurance he would agree to help me.

**Hope you enjoyed!**


	3. Chapter 3

**New chapter again!**

It had been about five hours and forty-five minutes since Inna left me in this room by myself. When I had first asked Dimitri for a clock he was very hesitant. I'm not quite sure whether he thought I would hurt myself with the clock or I would come up with a plan to use a clock to escape him. However, when I explained to him that a clock would help me count down the minutes until I seen him and as a result would receive my next fix, he gave in. I knew that Dimitri typically arrived around 2:00AM.

As I looked at the clock again, I saw that it was now 1:32AM. Dimitri was expected to arrive here in less than 28 minutes. In 28 minutes, my fate would be revealed. I would have to make a decision.

I had hope that Inna had understood my request for her to bring Nathan to me, but as the seconds hand on the clock slowly striked down the minutes to my inevitable meeting with Dimitri, I began to get more anxious.

As I waited for my impending doom, I decided to check in with Lissa one last time. Already exhausted from running around nervously for the past few hours I decided to sit in one of the chairs in the living room area so that I wouldn't have to stand. I was hoping I could remain in Lissa's head until Dimitri arrived. As I relaxed my body and allowed myself to enter Lissa mind, my surroundings suddenly shifted. However, it wasn't Lissa's mind that caused my surroundings to shift.

I had fallen asleep.

As my surrounding became clearer, I realized that I was back at St. Vladimir's Academy. This sparked all kinds of reactions inside of me. I had always considered St. Vladmir my home. Now as I looked around my surroundings, I wished greatly that I could return. At the sound of the footsteps behind me, my guardian instinct took over and I twisted abruptly to brace myself for the intruder. Of course I wasn't really surprised by who my intruder was. I had known from the start of this dream who would eventually show up. Adrian.

As I watched Adrian approach me, I wanted nothing more than to embrace him and beg him to forgive me for treating him so harshly before. After the argument we had a while ago, Adrian promised to never enter my dreams again. I had been just as angry with him and had actually felt joy in not having to see him again but as time continued, I found myself regretting how I had spoken to him. People live their lives everyday taking advantage of the fact that their friendships will always be there. Once their gone, you're left with only the remorse of not appreciating the friends you had when they were around. Every night after Dimitri left my room so I could sleep, a part of me longed for Adrian to visit me. Being away from my friends for so long, Adrian was the only person I was able to have contact with. True, I was still connected to Lissa, but I couldn't speak to her like I could Adrian. Seeing Adrian now, made all the homesick feelings return. I missed Lissa and Adrian deeply.

"Adrian, it is nice to see you again." I said giving him a warm smile.

"Hello Rose." Adrian said cautiously. He appeared to be a bit taken back by my warm welcome. I suppose he expected me to be screaming at him again.

"I'm so glad you came back to me." I said trying to prevent myself from jumping into his arms. It wasn't that I didn't want to embrace him, I was afraid to. After the way I had spoken to him, a part of me feared that he would reject me.

"I know…I'm kind of surprised I came back to you too."

After he spoken, I waited a while for him to say something else but he didn't. I'm not sure if time went by in the dream world the same as it did in reality but I knew that this reunion would unfortunately have to be brief. Every minute I spent sleeping was another minute closer to having to face Dimitri. Dimitri wanted an answer.

Then I realized if I told Dimitri that I wanted to remain human. Would he kill me?

This may be the last time I ever see Adrain.

And then I broke. "I'm so sorry for the way I treated you. I really mean it. I was totally out of line. You don't miss a person unless they are gone. You left me and I was alone. I missed you so much." I said so fast I hoped Adrian was able to hear everything I said.

"Rose…" Adrian said apparently taken back by my declaration.

"So much has happened since I've seen you last. You have _no idea_." I said with my voice breaking at the last words. I could feel the built up emotions inside of me begging to be released.

The look on Adrian's told me that he was experiencing conflicted feelings. I could tell he was still mad at me for the way I treated him before but as I took a closer look I saw concern in his eyes. In all the time Adrian knew me he had never seen me on the verge of breaking. He came here expecting me to angrily send him off again and instead, I stood in front of him pleading for forgiveness.

Then the conflicted emotions on his face were gone. He had made his decision. It felt like centuries had passed before I felt his arms encircle around my torso. Although Adrian was angry with me, I was his friend and he still cared about me. This was another lesson on friendship; friends will be there for in your time of need no matter what.

"It's okay Little Dhampir…tell me what is going on." Adrian whispered into my hair.

"I…just…I just want to go home." I said truly allowing my emotions to take over. I had been through so much lately: realizing the love of my life is truly a monster, losing Viktoria's friendship, my failed attempt at escaping the suite, fearing that Dimitri would kill me and the positive pregnancy test. Yes, I had been through a lot. I needed someone to console me.

"Why don't you come home then?" Adrian said pulling away briefly to look me in the eyes.

"I'm trying." I said allowing a couple tears to escape.

"Do you need more money?" Adrian said wiping the escaped tears from my face with one of his hands while keeping his other arm wrapped around my waist.

"No. I need luck…" Was all I was able to say before being ripped from Adrian's arms and forced back into reality.


	4. Chapter 4

**New Chapter!**

When I came back into reality I was laying on the floor. Someone had tipped the chair I had fallen asleep in backwards and I had fallen out. From the pain I was now feeling in my head as I tried to sit up and access my surrounding, I must have hit my head pretty hard.

"Aw poor baby…did I wake you up." Nathan said coming into my view. He was giving me one of those malicious smiles Strigios got when they caused distress to their victims.

Before I answered him I continued to access my surrounding. Only a little bit of nausea which meant that only one Strigio was in the room. Also, to my advantage Inna wasn't here. Inna yes, she had understood me what I was trying to tell her. She brought Nathan to me. I then quickly glanced at the clock: 1:55AM. Crap, Inna hadn't brought him to me fast enough. Dimitri will be here any minute now. I have to act quickly.

"As a matter of fact you did." I said standing up and forcing myself not to acknowledge the pain in my head. I refused to allow Nathan to know he had caused me pain. "I was having a pleasant dream." I said in my usual Rose attitude.

Suddenly Nathan was right in front of me pushing me up against the wall. "I'm not playing your games. Your time is running out blood whore. Where is the Dragonmire girl!"

"So smug now that Dimitri isn't around."

"Where is she?" Nathan said abruptly pushing me into the wall harder. I was now so pushed up against the wall that I thought my body would explode from the pressure. I had to gain control.

"I will bring you to her."

"No. Tell me where she is!" He said pushing me into the wall further. Now I was absolutely sure my body would explode from the pressure. I needed to approach this situation differently.

"What I'm trying to say is that I just don't want to tell you where she is. I want to watch you kill her." I said trying to sound evil and disturb. You know the usual way Strigios sound.

"Why?" Nathan said warily.

"I hate her. She doesn't care about me. I thought she was my friend but really I'm nothing but an expendable guardian to her." I said trying to sound furious. I knew that this was an issue all guardians faced. We were expendable. Nathan had been a Dhampir and from the looks of his body he was also a guardian. He would know what if felt like to be replaceable.

"You would betray her like this?" Nathan said still sounding a bit wary. However, it was written all over his face, my apparent new disgust for Lissa was appealing to him. It meant that I was serious about handing her over to him.

"She isn't my friend!" I said screaming. "I want her to die. I want to watch it." I said pausing briefly to access Nathan. I could see that he was becoming more and more intrigued by me. I also saw something else. Passion. My sudden crude attitude was becoming more appealing to him; I was becoming more appealing to him. I had been around boys long enough to know the look they gave when they were infatuated with you. Despite Nathan's hard Strogoi features, I could see just a hint of his infatuation for me. Nathan wanted me.

As I glimpsed at the clock briefly I saw that the time was now 1:59AM. Time was running out. If Dimitri showed up and saw Nathan with me, he would surely kill Nathan. Then after, I may also die.

I may not know about a lot of things in the world but the one thing I'm fairly familiar with is men. True Nathan was a Stigio but he was still a man. I had been wanted by many boys throughout my life. I knew how to make them 'putty in my hands'.

"Dimitri was wrong about you. He said you were _weak_." I said trying to get a reaction out of him and being satisfied when I saw his features fill up with anger. 'Weak' was a word Dimitri threw around in my face a lot when trying to convince me to become one of the undead. It was a word that was feared by Strogios. Only the strongest succeeded Dimitri had told me frequently. Predator versus prey. It was a concept Strogois lived by.

"You're not _weak_. You're strong. Together we can be strong. "I said moving my face closer to his. When I felt him release his hard grip on me I knew I was getting through to him. "Dimitri says he keeps me locked away in here because he wants to turn me into a Strogoi. So why hasn't he done it yet?" I said hoping that Dimitri didn't tell him the real reason for my hesitation. "The truth is that if I'm a Stigio then I will go after the Dragonmire myself. Dimitri wants the girl for himself. He asks me all the time about her wareabouts." Unlike with Dimitri, I knew Nathan wouldn't be able to sense my lies but I hoped my speeding heart beat or sweating didn't give me away. When his features didn't change due to my dishonesty, I continued. "I won't give her to him because she is yours." I said trying to sound convincing. "We have to hurry; Dimitri will be back any minute now. If he comes here he will take the Dragonmire for himself. We can't let that happen."

"He won't be back soon." Nathan said looking at me cunningly. "Galina sent him on an errand."

Luck. If that wasn't luck then I didn't know what was. Dimitri wouldn't come here soon. I still had time. "He will be back. We have to leave."

"Okay." Nathan said causing extreme relief to race throughout my body. "But first…we still have some time before he comes back." Nathan said pointing to the bed.

To say I was disgusted by his implications would be an under statement. True, I had contemplated sleeping with Dimitri while he was a Strogoi but that was because a part of me still and will always want him. However, I felt no such feelings with Nathan. The suggestion was abrupt and had thrown me off guard. But then again, I fired him up so did I really expect him not to suggest this?

"Inna…Inna will be back." I said scrabbling through my brain to come up with an excuse. "It is almost time for my breakfast. She will tell Dimitri if she sees us together.

"She won't say anything." Nathan said confidently.

"I know Dimitri. He will be infuriated when he sees that I have esc…left." I said noticing the amused look on Nathan's face. The idea of somehow aggravating Dimitri was appealing to Nathan. Therefore, I decided to act on his amusement.

"Dimitri said that he is unable to live without me. He will be hurt when he finds out I left with you." I said trying to manipulate Nathan into forgetting about his sexual ideas involving me. "Dimitri might even come after you in revenge for taking me. Could you imagine the look on his face when he sees that he _lost_ me to you." I said emphasizing the word _lost_. "You _won_ Nathan. You _beat _Dimitri." Nathan was loving every minute of my speech. Having lived in Dimitri's shadows for quite some time, he prospered at the idea of finally 'having one over' on Dimitri even if it meant using me.

"He will be back in an hour. We will be gone." Nathan said abruptly which unfortunately startled me.

"Okay let's go." I said walking to the door.

And then it happened, Nathan was in front of me blocking me from walking any further. He moved so fast in front of me that I wasn't able to prevent myself from walking into him. And before I could protest his lips were on mine hungrily like they were sucking the life out of me. Usually when Dimitri kissed me, his kisses were rarely gentle and full of passion. I always felt that Dimitri held back while kissing me in fear of hurting me. However, as Nathan kissed me I was beginning to understand why Dimitri held back. Nathan's kiss hurt. Not just painful but it felt like he may break my jaw any second now. I was sure that when it was done, I would have a bruise around the outside of my mouth if not a sprained mouth.

When the kiss was over, Nathan, oblivious to the pain he caused me, backed away satisfied and proceeded to open the secured door. As Nathan's back was turned to me I quickly placed my hand over my mouth and began to rub around my lips to ease the pain.

When I heard the door unlock, I expected myself to feel relieved to finally be free from this suite but instead as I looked around the room one last time, I felt sad. Although Dimitri was a monster, I couldn't forget the time we shared in this room. It hadn't all been terrible. Many nights Dimitri and I would curl up on the couch or the bed and talk about what we had been up to while we were away from each other. Of course, Dimitri's stories would always involve killings and other terrible Strogio things but still we were together. Now with my new realization that I may walk out the door and never see him again, I felt afraid. I loved Dimitri even though he was a monster. But I knew that we couldn't be together. Not this way. He was a Strogio and I was me. Too many people in my life needed me to be alive and not dead or a Strogio. Maybe in another life time we could have worked out. Maybe I would have given in and let him turn me into a Strogio. However, none of that mattered now. I made my decision. I chose to leave with Nathan.

"Come on." Nathan said which ultimately yanking me out of my daze.

When looked up to meet Nathan's eyes, I saw that he had unlocked both doors and was waiting for me impatiently to leave the suite.

And with one last look around the room at my old life, I began to walk out the door to my new life.

**Good? Bad? Let me know.**

**Thank you**


	5. Chapter 5

**Another new chapter!**

**Also I have noticed that I seem to be spelling Strigoi- Strogoi. Please ignore this. I tried to correct the ones I found. **

When I finally walked out the second door to join Nathan in the hallway, I saw no Strigois patrolling the hall.

"Where is my guard?"

"Why would you need a guard?"

"To make sure I don't escape." I said like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Like you could escape." Nathan said laughing which in turn infuriated me. Really what did he call what I was doing right now?

Ignoring the many remarks I wanted to say in response to his obnoxious attitude, I decided to remain on his good side. "Which way is out?"

"Shut up and follow me. You talking all the time is starting to become annoying."

Again, I had to ignore the many comments that I wanted to say in response to his rude manner. I mean two minutes ago he was practically forcing me into bed with him and now he is treating me as if I some stupid blood whore.

When Nathan started walking down the hallway, I began to follow closely behind. With every step took the nagging feeling to snap at his rude behavior subsided. I was extremely fortunate at this since these days Rose Hathaway is not known for her self control.

The weird thing is as we continued to walk by the areas I recognized during my walk outside with Dimitri, none of the Strigois and humans I had seen before were around. I suddenly felt this nagging feeling to ask Nathan where everyone went but decided not to. I needed him to help me escape and he had been very touchy the last time I spoke to him. With no stake or sharp objects around me, there is no way I could really defend myself if he decided to kill me. Therefore, I decided to keep my mouth shut.

While we walked throughout the halls, I focused on the beautiful designs patterned across the walls and the ceiling. Dimitri explained to me once that this entire building belonged to Galina. Whoever this Galina girl was had extremely expensive taste. Dimitri had also told me that Galina ran a dangerous business that involved many illegal things. Of course most of those illegal things were harmful to humans. I tried to convince Dimitri to explain what these harmful things were many times but he always seemed to avoid the subject. I assumed that he felt knowing the truth would discourage me from wanting to join his undead mafia. He tried very hard to only tell me the good things that came with being a Strigoi.

"I have to take care of something." Nathan said in a whisper unexpectedly once again forcing me out of my daze. Now letting myself focus on Nathan I could see that he had stopped outside an elaborate set of French doors.

"Stay here. I mean it. Stay right where you are. Any closer and she will sense your prescience." Nathan said continuing to whisper before knocking on the door.

I was about to ask him who this 'her' was but decided that maybe talking was not the best idea in this situation. There was a reason Nathan chose to whisper to me. The 'her' behind the doors was not meant to hear what he was saying. This would mean that she was a Strogoi. My suspicions were correct when Nathan entered the doors filling me up with nausea. There was definitely a Strogoi behind those doors and I had a good idea who it was. Galina. I didn't really know that much about her. Dimitri had told me that she was his old instructor back when he was in school. She had been turned into a Strogoi a few years ago during a battle. Dimitri had come here after the fight at St. Vladimir's Academy to seek refuge from her.

Dimitri had told me that she was the leader of this little Strigoi mafia. Once I was a Strogoi, Dimitri and I would eventually kill her and take control of her business. He had said that it would take the both of us to kill her. I hate to admit it but the thought of needing two Strogois to kill one scared me. It meant that this Galina was strong. In addition, I surely didn't want to run into her right now. Despite all of this, I was curious as to what Nathan had to say to her. Could he be in there telling her about me? Could I truly trust him?

These were questions I needed answered for my own safely so I broke Nathan's rule of staying put and walked up to the doors and placed my ear on the door in hopes of easedropping on their conversation. I became ecstatic when I started to pick up bits of pieces of their conversation. As I pushed myself further up against the door, from what I could hear it sounded as though Nathan was begging Galina to let him leave. This was a good sign. He had not betrayed me.

"_You will go nowhere." The female said who I assumed was indeed Galina. _

"_Only for a couple days. " Nathan said in a pleading voice._

"_You have no need to go anywhere. I give you everything you want here." _

"_I know that and I am obliged but…you let Dimitri go anywhere he wants. You give him anything he wants. You never tell him 'no.'" Nathan said beginning to become angry._ To me Nathan sound as if he was a child accusing his mother of playing favoritism.

"_Dimitri does what is needed to be done. " Galina said annoyed._

"_I'm sure he does." Nathan said sarcastically._ I wasn't sure what Nathan meant by that statement but I found myself becoming jealous. What kind of things did Dimitri do for Galina?

It was the sound of something breaking that snapped me out of my jealous state. _"Speak to me like that again and it will be your last words." Galina threatened._

The breaking noise must have been Galina. By the sounds of I could probably guess that she either threw something at Nathan or threw him into the wall. I just hope he is still alive. Nathan being dead would serious mess up my plan. I still had no idea how to escape this building. Although she did say 'if you speak to me like that again,' therefore he has to be alive or else that would definitely be a stupid thing to say to a dead person. Suddenly I yearned for the spy hole you usually see in the movies. I needed to see what was going on behind these doors. Weren't all doors supposed to be constructed with secret spy holes?

After what seemed like forever, the silenced finally broke.

"_Nathan why do you make me do these things to you?" Galina said almost sounding both remorseful and demanding. "You know I care for you but your jealously over Dimitri is beginning to become a bother to me."_

"_I know. I apologize to you for that. You just speak so highly of him. You let him get away with everything. If anyone else brought home a blood whore you would have them kill it. Yet, Dimitri is able to keep his locked away in a room for weeks." _

Blood whore. Seriously. Was I a blood whore? True I had been giving my blood to Dimitri but that didn't make me a blood whore. Blood whores let Moroi men drink their blood during sex. I never had sex with Dimitri plus he was a Strogoi so I couldn't be considered a blood whore. Right?

"_He seems infatuated with that thing. His time is running out. He will change it or kill it. If it isn't changed soon I will kill it."_

"_You will kill it despite his protest?" Nathan said curiously._

Suddenly I didn't like where this conversation was heading. Wasn't Nathan supposed to be asking Galina to let him leave? However, I guess finding out how I will die if this plan goes bad will help.

"_You seem to be under the impression that I care how he feels?" Galina said mockingly. "Dimitri is strong. He is a fighter. He keeps my enemies at bay. I care nothing about how he feels." Galina said laughing. "I may even make him watch me kill her."_

"_He would be furious!" Nathan said excitedly._

Again, not a topic I wanted them to discuss any further. I had convinced Nathan that taking me with him would hurt Dimitri but I'm pretty sure killing me in front of Dimitri would be worse. I couldn't have Nathan agreeing with Galina. I needed to intervene.

"_I love the way you think." Nathan said._

"_I know you do." Galina said seductively._

All of a sudden there was a loud noise like objects had fallen on to the ground followed by a scream. The scream came from Galina. Only this wasn't a scream of pain but of pleasure. Suddenly I knew what they were doing behind this door and I no longer desired a spy hole. I was actually thankful that I didn't have to see what was going on. Really Nathan, Strigoi sex now?

It all made sense now. Galina refused to allow Dimitri to kill Nathan because he was…her lover. However, Nathan wanted to have sex with me back in the suite so did this mean that Strogois were incapable of being loyal to one another. Unfortunately the more I contemplated this, the more jealous I became. Was Dimitri unfaithful to me? During my stay here I never truly considered him to be my boyfriend. I loved him and I believed he loved me. I mean he asked me to spend the rest of eternity with him so that would mean he had to love me. I'm almost positive that as a Dhampir Dimitri would have never cheated on me. I mean, when he was contemplating going off with Tasha he choose not to because he would think of only me when he was with her. Therefore, since Dimitri couldn't fully love her, he let her go in hopes of her finding someone who could put her number one in his heart.

However, Dimitri was a Strigoi now. Would he still hold the same beliefs? As I continued to process this new found revelation my jealousy turned into disgust. I was glad I chose not to let Dimitri change me into a Strigoi. The more I learn about them, the more disgusted I become.

When I had finally agreed to never become a Strigoi, I decided to take a seat a few feet from the door. I found myself becoming impatient with Nathan and his stupid Strigoi sex antics. We needed to go. Dimitri would be back soon and I didn't want to see him.

After about thirty minutes of non-stop screaming, everything went silent. I assumed that they were done. This sort of took me by surprised. I didn't know anything about Strigoi sex but you'd think it would have went on longer. The thought of Nathan lacking in that department definitely put a smile on my face.

A few seconds later, I heard the doors opened up and nausea began to consume my body. It was Nathan. As Nathan walked out the door, he quickly closed the doors behind him and turned to make eye contact with me.

"Like what you heard?" Nathan said smiling. Obviously he took pleasure in having me hear them having sex.

"Not particularly." I said letting my Rose attitude slip out. Could I really be blamed for being a bit sarcastic? I had to sit here for thirty freaking minutes and hear his non-stop sex escapades.

"Don't worry you will have your turn soon." Nathan said with his smile growing bigger ultimately revealing his fangs. The way Nathan was acting now truly disgusted me but I tried not to show it. I thought Moroi men were disgusted man whores but really Strogois were even beyond that.

"Could we leave now?" I said trying to sound calm. I needed to keep reminding myself that I needed Nathan. Also, as soon as we were out of here I could rid myself of him.

Instead of giving me an answer, Nathan started to walk down the hall. As I jumped up to follow him, I took a quick glance at the clock stationed in the hallway; 3:00AM. Yeah we were definitely going to get caught.

**Please review...I'm starting to wonder if this story is likeable. **


	6. Chapter 6

**New Chapter!**

I was almost in shock when I turned the corner and saw the doors leading to the outside. Finally freedom. As we approached the doors, I saw Nathan type in a code to open the door. Once it was open I nearly ran outside into the fresh air. When I looked around however, I realized that this wasn't the same area Dimitri hadn't taken me before. There were no mazes or flowers. All I saw were plenty of trees and a body of water in the horizon. This must have been a different exit. This confused me. I had thought that we had taken the same route I had with Dimitri but I guess I must have been mistaken.

"Where are we?" I asked Nathan. If I was going to escape from him then I needed to know my location.

"You don't need to know that." Apparently Nathan felt the opposite way.

As Nathan began to walk toward the forest, I tried to access my surrounding as I followed behind him.

"Walk faster." Nathan demanded however his voice seemed a bit shaken. Like he was afraid. At first I thought I was imaging it but then his speed began to increase.

"Wait up." I said struggling to keep up with his pace. "You won't find the Dragonmire girl without me you know." Even before the last words left my mouth, Nathan had already ran back towards me and flung me over his shoulder.

As Nathan proceeded to run with me over his shoulder, it felt as though the world was flashing by. I knew Strigoi's were capable of running at high speeds but this was unbelievable. Soon the running sparked a new reaction from me, nausea. I had never been sea sick or even car sick before in my life but apparent Strigoi running sick was a different story. Suddenly I felt like I was about to throw up and nothing was going to hold it down.

"I'm going to throw up." I screamed.

My declaration brought Nathan to a sudden stop. He stopped so fast that it felt like the front part of my body crash into the back. Over course this is impossible but at the moment my body was telling me different. Before I could even ask Nathan to set me down he had flung me off of him like I was a mosquito forcing me to come crashing into the dirt on my butt. To his misfortunate I decided to just lean over in front of him and throw up. I still had enough time to turn my body into the bushes beside me but after the way he had treated me, I wanted him to see me puke. From the disgusted look on his face, I grew satisfied in my act.

"Now you will walk on your own." He said obviously not wanting me anywhere near him. "Try to keep up."

"I would rather walk." I said. As I began to stand up my hand brushed up against a branch laying on the ground next to me. Suddenly I got an idea. In order to kill a Strogoi you needed a stake. However, I could use the branch I found to incapacitate him. Once the branch hits his heart, he will go into shock long enough for me to get away from him. As I continued to stand to my feet, I slowly tucked the branch in the back of pants and underneath my shirt.

"What are you doing?" Nathan said startling me. At first I thought he had caught on to what I was doing. "We need to move." Nathan said looking around.

As I watched him briefly look around his surrounding uneasily I too started to access my surroundings. As I allowed myself to become more alert, I felt it. The tiny bit of nausea I received when Strogois were around only it wasn't Nathan I was sensing. More Strigois was approaching.

"They are coming for us." I said shocked.

"Yes." Was all Nathan said before turning around and running. Not wanting to face our impending intruders by myself, I followed quickly behind as fast as I could.

As I followed Nathan further into the forest, I realized that we were heading toward the body of water. "Why are we running toward the water?" I asked as I ran behind him.

"Boat." Was all Nathan said. Apparently now that we were being followed Nathan chose to be more cooperative in answering my questions.

"Will it be fast enough?" I asked hoping Nathan would answer this question as well.

I was relieved when he did. "Yes. It is one of Galina best boats."

Knowing that I wouldn't have to go into the water eased my mind. I was a good swimmer but it was spring time and I knew the water would be cold after the long winter. I had heard horror stories about people being thrown into freezing water and only being able to survive for minutes. Nathan was a Strogoi, he would survive but I wouldn't. I also secretly hoped that he had been right about the boat being fast enough because as I continued to follow Nathan I felt the nausea continuing to grow exponentially. The others were approaching fast.

Out of nowhere I felt someone's hand take a hold of my right shoulder and attempted to bring me to an abrupt stop. I was so caught off balance that I flung backwards into them hard 'knocking the wind out of me' before falling onto the ground.

As I looked up at the face of the person who attacked me I was surprised. It was Dimitri.

**Please review...thank you.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Thank you for the review Nicia...I'm happy you liked my little Strigoi sex scene lol.**

**New Chapter!**

As I looked up at the face of the person who had attacked me I was surprised. It was Dimitri. Seeing Dimitri now sent mix signals throughout my entire body. Part of me was excited to see him. I hadn't seen Dimitri in about a day and I truly missed his prescience. Another part of me was afraid. Dimitri knew I had tried to escape him. Would he take this decision as being my decline to join him? Would he kill me now?

Now as I reluctantly tried to focus on Dimitri, I could see the pure anger now radiating off of his face. In addition, his fangs were drawn out and he was starting to shift into a crouch position ready to attack. The only thing is that as Dimitri shadowed over me all his attention was on Nathan.

As I now turned my focus to Nathan, I saw that he too stood in a crouched position with his fangs drawn out only his face wasn't radiating the anger I had seen in Dimitri's, but fear. There was no reassurance now that Dimitri wouldn't kill him. He had taken something that belonged to Dimitri and would now have to pay the price with his life.

Suddenly, Dimitri leaped forward towards Nathan ready to attack. As soon as Dimitri moved, Nathan too fled in the direction of Dimitri. Once they met each other the fight broke out. Each took turns lashing out and dodging each other. As I watched them fight, it became quite obvious that Dimitri was winning. To say Dimitri was a great fighter would be an understatement. Back at the Academy, students feared him and fellow guardians treated him with respect. Seeing Dimitri fight now proved those observations correct. Even as a Strogoi, Dimitri's fighting abilities were still deadly. He was truly a force to be reckoned with.

As I watched them fight, I began to feel the nausea feelings, I typically got around Strigois, increase. This meant the others were coming. Dimitri had arrived here first probably because he must have been faster or had figured out what was going on before the others. I wasn't quite sure how Dimitri had caught up to us so fast but I couldn't afford to sit here and contemplate it. I knew that Dimitri would win this battle and soon after he would come for me. If I had any hope of escaping this situation I had to move. I needed to make it to the boat. I need to continue with my escape plan.

After taking one last long look at Dimitri and Nathan, I fled from the scene running towards the body of water. As the distance between me and the water decreased, I began to frantically look for the boat that would assist me in my attempt to freedom. I was overjoyed when the boat finally came into my view. The boat looked very familiar. I believe I saw it on the discovery channel special before. If I was right then I think it was called a Cigarette Boat. If my prediction was true then Nathan had been right. Galina's boat was indeed fast. This was a good sign. It meant that I could make my escape easily.

The boat was tied to a stationed dock by a long thick piece of rope. Quickly I tried to unfasten the rope from the dock before any of the Strigois caught up with me. Once the boat was released from the dock, I jumped into the boat and ran over to the wheel. Next to the wheel was the ignition which appeared to need some sort of key. Being Rose Hathaway, I considered myself to be very crafty and had learned many things that had assisted me in my recent illegal acts. Unfortunately hot wiring a boat was not one of my many skills.

I wasn't ready to give up hope yet. I had come too far for this escape to blow up in my face. Taking a deep breath and relaxing my mind to sense my surroundings for any oncoming Strigois, I took relief in the fact the nausea was very dim. This meant that that there were no Strigois in close proximity to me. I was safe for now.

Looking around the boat and hoping for a solution to my problem, I remembered a movie I watched with Lissa before I left St. Vladimir's Academy. In the movie, ironically enough, a couple of prisoners had escaped from a man who had been holding them captive on his island for weeks. When the prisoners were high jacking his boat, they had found the keys to the man's boat hidden underneath the seat cover of one of the chairs on the boat. As I looked around the boat I stood on now, I saw many chairs. I had been very lucky today. But would I be lucky enough to find the keys hiding on this boat. Only one way to find out.

As I proceeded to take my chances and strip the boat of his seat covers in hopes of finding the key that would help me gain my freedom, my nausea returned full force. There was a Strigoi approaching fast. Frantically pulling off the remaining seat cover's, I realized that my luck had faded. How could I have been so stupid? Honestly why would someone hide the keys to their boat under the seat cover of their chair. I seriously needed to give up these stupid movie ideas.

Before I could think of another plan, someone spoke behind me ultimately startling me.

"Going somewhere Rose?" I didn't need to turn around to know who had spoken to me. Dimitri. He had of course won the fight with Nathan. I guess this means I wouldn't have to worry about ditching Nathan anymore I joked to myself in hopes of easing my increasing fear.

"I thought I would take a boat ride." I said sarcastically finally bringing myself to turn around and face him. If I was going to die right now than I might as well go out Rose style.

As I allowed myself to study Dimitri's face, I found myself unable to decipher his emotions. His fierce Strigoi features hide whatever emotions he was feeling.

"I have made my decision. I won't join you." I said becoming serious now.

"I know." Dimitri said still not showing any emotion.

I wasn't sure what to say. He wasn't giving me any hints at his emotions. I had no idea how he was feeling or what he was thinking about.

"Where were you going to go? With _Nathan_?" Dimitri said. Except this time there was a reaction on his face. When Dimitri said the name _Nathan_. I wasn't sure what it could have been. Could Dimitri be anger that I was with Nathan? Was he curious? Or was he jealous? Just as fast as the feeling spread across his face it was gone leaving me wondering how he felt about me escaping with Nathan.

"I need to go." I said trying to change the topic from Nathan.

"We are in the middle of nowhere. Where will you go?"

I thought about this briefly. Sensing my hesitation, Dimitri jumped into the boat. As soon as he landed in the boat, my body instantly fell into battle mode. I had no idea what Dimitri was planning on doing.

"You don't trust me?" Dimitri said as his face slowly broke its composure.

"You're a Strigoi…how could I trust you?" I said abruptly like it was the most obvious thing in the world. I sounded like a true guardian right now; Strigois aren't people, they are monsters. Treat them as monsters.

"Is that how you feel." Dimitri said in more or a statement than a question. As I focused on his unraveling facial features, I was troubled. In his eyes I saw sadness.

Knowing that I was causing him sadness was beginning to overwhelm me with guilt. Although he may be a monster, he is Dimitri. I tried desperately to see him as a monster … as a Strigoi but it is impossible. To me he will always be my Dimitri and I will always love him.

I couldn't think about that now. I had to focus on getting away from Dimitri. I needed to remind myself that I now had bigger issues to deal with than my undead lover. There was something growing inside of me.

"Let me go Dimitri!" I demanded. I needed to get away from him. He is going to pull me back in.

"Why?" Dimitri said walking over to me which forced me to back away from him to keep us distant from one another. "Why do you have to be so difficult?"

Dimitri than reached out suddenly before I had time to react and grabbed a hold of one of my arms pulling me toward him. First, I tried to fight his grip but then realized that I was powerless. Dropping my hands to my sides I knew, Dimitri had the advantage.

"We could be together Rose. I want you. I need you." He said giving me a loving expression. At first I thought that I must be hallucinating. Strigois were incapable of love. The expression he was giving me must a trick.

"Why?"

"Why what?" Dimitri asked confused.

"Why do you want me?" I asked secretly pleading for him to give me the correct answer that had the power to change everything.

"Because we belong together." And with that my doubts were confirmed. I was right, Strigois were incapable of love. Just like with Nathan and Galina. Strigois could express sexual feelings like kissing and sex but that was it. With no soul how could they feel? I was nothing more than an object to be desired by Dimitri.

As soon as I came to this conclusion I broke. As tears escaped, Dimitri, who probably took my sudden change in emotion to be that he had having finally convinced me that we should be together, moved his left hand to my face to wipe them away. As soon as his other hand shifted to hold me tighter against him I felt something in the back of my shirt. It was the branch I had hid there earlier. I knew what I had to do.

As Dimitri's hand wiped the tears from my face, I closed my eyes and pretended that we were back at St. Vladimir's Academy. We were in the training gym and he was a Dhampir. We were standing close together with our bodies fitting together perfectly. One of his hands was lightly holding my face while the other was caressing my back in his usually gentle manner he always had with me when he was being affectionate. As Dimitri continued to wipe the tears from my face, I could even imagine that his hand was as warm as it used to be. Suddenly I needed to feel his lips against mine. As I moved my face toward his, I could imagine the smell of his cologne he used to wear as a Dhampir. When our lips finally found each others, I imagined that it was the same as when he kissed me in the cabin. Dimiti's kisses were always so tender yet amazing. Everything about Dimitri was amazing. The way he made me feel like I was the only girl in his heart. How every so often, during our stolen moments of pure affections, he would rub his fingertips lightly across my arm sending shivers throughout my body. The fact that Dimitri awlays knew what I was thinking and how to make everything in my life right. Dimitri was truly my soul mate. My other half.

As we continued to enjoy the moment, our kiss grew more intense like it usually did. Only this time, I gazed my tongue against his fangs. The feeling of Dimitri's fangs touching my tongue ripped me out of my fancy world and I pulled away from our kiss. The person I was kissing was not the Dimitri who promised to love me forever. The Dimitri who held me now was a stranger. As I looked into Dimitri's red eyes, I felt like I was truly seeing Dimitri as a Strigoi for the first time. Before now I had deluded myself into thinking I could pretend he was still my Dimitri. But he wasn't my Dimitri. Not anymore.

When I felt Dimitri's left hand, which had been placed on my face, slowly drop and find its way back to my waist almost touching the branch in the process, I knew my time was running out. I couldn't continue to pretend the Dimitri standing before me was the man I fell in love with. I had to act.

Before Dimitri had time to react my right arm reached behind my back and grabbed a hold of the branch and I quickly moved from Dimitri's grasp and proceeded to plunged the branch into his heart.

**I sort of liked the staking in Blood Promsie so I decided to incoporate it into my story...my version of the staking which of course had to involve a branch lol. No chair legs for me. **

**Please Review**

**Thank you.**


	8. Chapter 8

**This chapter is short so i decided to add two chapters tonight.**

**Hope you enjoy!**

As soon as the branch plunged into Dimitri's heart I closed my eyes and stopped breathing. At first I heard nothing, which made me worry whether I had been successful. Could I have missed his heart? Would a branch me efficient enough to disable a Strigoi? However, just as I was about to face my worst fears, I felt Dimitri's body break its grip from me and plummet to the floor of the boat making a thumping noise. Figuring my plan had indeed been successful I exhaled and allowed myself to breath for the first time since this ordeal.

Continuing to keep my eyes closed, I quickly evaluated my situation. Even if the branch was able to disable Dimitri, it wouldn't hold forever. I knew that I had probably five to ten minutes at the most to think of a plan before Dimitri's wound would heal and he would awaken. However, I still couldn't bring myself to open my eyes just yet. I knew time was running out and that I was being ridicules for fearing the sight of Dimitri's now lifeless body but I was now feeling the full force of what I had just done. Even though I had successful convinced myself that this was a Strigoi I had killed, it was still Dimitri. I knew if I saw him, his skin would still be pale and his eyes red, if they were open, but nonetheless I had just hurt someone I claimed to love one time. I wasn't ready to face that just yet.

However, now as the nausea flowed through me I realized my time was up. The others were here. Taking another deep breath, I forced my eyes open. Still not looking down at Dimitri, I looked to the forest beyond the water. Instead of the many Strigois I had imagined would be there, I only saw a woman who I instantly perceived to be Galina. As if to read my mind she looked over at me and we made brief eye contact and just like that she was gone. I had no doubt she was coming for me. With time running out fast I couldn't dwell on my childish feelings anymore. Quickly, I forced myself to finally look at Dimitri and to take in what I had done. As I looked down at him I saw that he was laying across the boat's floor appearing to look dead. I knew he was indeed alive. The branch was success in stunning him but it was temporary. The sight of him motionless returned the pain of what I done to him. Without even realizing it, tears began to fall from my eyes. Why couldn't we be together? Why couldn't I have a happy ending like the fairy tales? Why did this happen to us? As I allowed myself to sink into pity, I began to feel anger. Anger for what happened to us. Anger for the predicament I was now in. I hurt Dimitri to free myself and now I was about to be confronted by the queen of their little Strigoi mafia and I have no way to defend myself. After everything l did, I could still lose my life. I suddenly wished Dimitri would wake up and protect me from Galina's wrath. Pushing my conflicted feelings aside I bent over Dimitri's body and went through his pockets hoping to find the key to the boat but coming up with nothing.

When I felt the nausea dramatically increase suddenly I knew time was running out. I had to make a decision. Taking one last look at Dimitri, I suddenly realized that this could be our last moments together. Galina may kill him now. I was the reason her lover was killed and now I proved that Dimitri was weak. Surely she would punish Dimitri with death. Coming to this conclusion in a way felt relieving. At least I wouldn't have to carry the burden of killing Dimitri. After the pain I was now going through by stabbing Dimitri with a branch, I couldn't imagine the pain I would have to bare after I killed him. It would be too much for me. I thought I could come here and free Dimitri but in reality I couldn't. It was why I hesitated. Deep down Dimitri was the love of my life and I could never kill him. I couldn't be the one to free him. Galina would free him from this state. I would see him again but this time as a happy ghost. Unlike with Mason and the other ghosts, I would surely embrace Dimitri. I would help him move on to the other side.

Glancing up one more time, I saw Galina enter the dock. I had to go now.

Before standing up, I took Dimitri into my arms and hugged him. After I leaned over and placed my lips onto Dimitri cheek and and gave him one last kiss before planting my face one last time into his hair trying to remember the smell. As I pulled away, I suddenly returned my mouth to his ear and whisper something to him I probably shouldn't have.

"You never asked me why I left you so suddenly. It is because…it is because…I'm _pregnant_. "I said finally pushing myself off of him and jumping off the boat into the water just as Galina had arrived onto the boat.

**Please review**

**Thank you.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Like I promised...another chapter.**

**Enjoy!**

As my body hit the freezing water, I suddenly regretted my decision. However, I couldn't dwell on this. I had no idea whether or not Galina would follow into the water after me. Using the swimming lessons I had learned in a summer class I took with Lissa, I used all the strength left in my body to swim as fast as I could. After swimming for what felt like forever at full force and coming to the conclusion that I had not been followed, I slowed my swimming speed down dramatically. Having no sight of land and my limbs beginning to become numb from the coldness of the water and the exhaustion slowly taking over my body, I forced myself to not give up. I had made it this far. Rose Hathaway cannot die from drowning. That couldn't be my destiny. No I needed to die in an extreme battle. Like I had taken out a hundred Strigois and on my hundredth-one my body, gives up and I die an honorable death. Yes that is how Rose Hathaway will die. Surprisingly contemplating my honorable death gave me the courage to continue swimming.

I hadn't even noticed I was close to shore until my feet hit the bottom of the water's floor. When I looked up, I saw a beach.

"I made it." Was all I said before walking the rest of the way onto shore.

When I was finally out of the water, I collapsed from exhaustion. After laying on the beach for about thirty to forty minutes, I saw the sun began to rise.

"Strigois don't come out in the sunlight." I said relieved. However, my relieved feelings were short lived and quickly replaced with pain. If Galina killed Dimitri and left him on the boat, he would be destroyed by the sunlight.

Before I could allow myself to feel the true effects of the pain of losing Dimitri again, someone approached me. As their shadowed stood over me I realized that it was an old human man. The man began to speak to me in Russian.

"I don't speak Russian." I said defeated.

"I called for help." The man said understanding that I spoke English.

"Thank you." I said smiling at him.

Kindly enough the old man sat quietly next to me on the beach waited with me until the sirens filled the once quiet air and the ambulance arrived.

Once the medical help arrived, they began to ask me all sorts of questions in Russian. However, the old man quickly explained to them that I spoke English.

When they started to ask me questions in English like 'What is your name,' 'How did you get here?,' 'Did I come out of the water?,' I simply asked them for a phone. At first they were hesitant about it but after I continued to beg them, one of the ambulance drivers gave me his cell phone. Once the phone was in my hand I quickly dialed Sydney's number.

"_Allo?"_

"_Sydney, it's Rose. I need your help."_

"_Where are you?"_

"_I'm not sure."_

"_What is that loud noise in the background?"_

"_It is an ambulance."_

"_Please tell me it is a human ambulance?" Sydney asked nervously._

"_Yes." _

"_Get away. They can't know what you are."_

"_What are you talking about?" I asked confused._

"_They think you're human. Did they take your blood?" _

"_No."_

"_Look I traced your call. You're on a beach in Novosibirsk. About a mile from the beach is a family restaurant. I will have someone meet you there. You need to get away from them. You're in big trouble if they figure out that you're not human. It will be a mess."_

"_Okay."_ And just like that I dropped the phone and stood up and ran from the people who tried to help me. It just about took all of my strength to continue running. At first the people that tired to help me ran after me but my years of training to be a guardian left them unable to keep up with me. I was surprised that they didn't attempt to drive the ambulance truck after me. I guess my unexpected departure was not a typical thing. I had caught them off guard.

The family restaurant wasn't hard to find. It was exactly where Sydney had told me to go; about a mile from the beach. As I walked into the restaurant, I decided to sit in a booth with a window view of the road so I would see the person Sydney sent for me drive up. Surprisingly enough, no waiter/waitress came to get my order while I remained in the booth. I was relieved that I wasn't approached. Having no money and being too emotionally spent to hold a real conversation, I had no desire to interact with them. However, this left me alone to my own thoughts. I wasn't ready to fully allow my emotions to come over me just yet.

I decided to go to the bathroom in order to divert my attention elsewhere and to clean myself up. Once I took a glimpse at myself in the mirror I was shocked by my appearance. I looked horrible. My hair was in complete knots because of the water and the sand at the beach. In addition, the skin around my lips was red and swollen due to Nathan's forceful kiss. When I took a closer look at my clothing, they appeared to be grass stained, covered in dirt and were still a bit damp. I finally understood why everybody left me alone, I looked crazy. If I was them, I would leave me alone too.

Finally coming to the conclusion that my appearance could not be fixed, I exited the bathroom. When I walked to the table I had just been residing at, I saw that there was a tall guy waiting in the booth. Like Sydney, he wore a tattoo on his face. He was the alchemist sent to find me. Did he know I had been sitting there previously or was it just pure coincidence?

"You're my driver?" I asked.

"Yes. I was sent here to get you. My car is right outside. Let's go."He said calmly but I got a feeling that he shared the usual hatred for Dhampirs as Sydney had.

"Sure. Where are we going?" I asked as I followed him out of the family restaurant.

"There is someone who wishes to see you." The Alchemist responded.

"Great. I mean as long as it isn't a mafia of Strigoi." I stated. In response to my comment the Alchemist gave me both a suspicious and concerned look.

"Should I be alarmed?" The Alchemist asked me in 'serious business mode' as we approached his car.

"No." I answered him.

Appearing to be content with my answer, he proceeded to unlocked the car's doors, after hesitating briefly, I decided to sit in the back seat. I wasn't really sure whether he would have tried to talk to me had I sat in the front seat but I couldn't risk it. I was in no mood to have a conversation. However, I needed to know where we were heading.

"Where are we going?" I asked.

"Somebody wishes to see you." He repeated.

"Does this somebody have a name?" I asked impatiently.

"You will find out soon enough."

"Could you at least tell me how far we have to drive?" I asked deciding I didn't have enough strength to argue with him.

"We will arrive at our destination in about seven hours."

Without replying to his comment, I layed across the back seat and decided to allow the exhaustion to take over me. After everything I had been through today, I just hoped that there wouldn't be any nightmares waiting for me in the dream world.

As soon as my eyes were closed, I was suddenly standing in a room that I recognized instantly. It was one of the guest rooms at St. Vladmir. My estimation was proven right when someone spoke from behind me. Adrian.

"Do you have any idea how worried I have been about you!" He said in a statement more than a question.

"You have no idea what I have been through..." I replied.

**Please review**

**Thank you**


	10. Chapter 10

**New Chapter!**

"Do you have any idea how worried I have been about you?" Adrian said in a statement more than a question.

"You have no idea what I have been through." I replied.

I could see that Adrian was waiting for me to explain what I meant. Surprising, I truly wanted to tell him everything. However, I couldn't. Not yet anyways. I wasn't ready to face what I had done yet. Talking about it now would force me to re-live the entire thing all over again. In addition, where would I begin? _Oh Adrian by the way, since the last time we spoken I have escaped a Strigoi hide out with the help of their leader's now dead lover, who is probably planning her revenge against me as we speak, sentenced Dim…someone to death, and oh yeah I may be having an impossible pregnancy. So anyways how have you been? _

As I internally laughed at my own sarcasm, I couldn't help but be surprised. After everything I have been through today, I didn't think I had it in me to be anything but an emotionless zombie. Now as I stood here in Adrian's dream…or rather my dream…I felt a little better. Seeing Adrian, in a way, eased the pain I had been feeling. He was a part of my old life, the life I so desperately wanted back now.

It was the feel of Adrian hand brushing up against the upper part of my left arm that brought me back to reality. As I looked up startled, I saw that Adrian was now standing in front of me giving me a concerned look.

"Look you don't have to talk about it okay. I'm not here to interrogate you. I'm just worried. "Adrian said pausing briefly to collect his thought before continuing. "I mean, before you said that you wanted to come back here but couldn't. All I really want to know is…are you in trouble Rose?"

"I'm always in trouble." I said looking away from him. "I'm beginning to think 'trouble' follows me around. Whether it is Strigois trying to kill me or... "I stopped abruptly before I told Adrian too much. True, I had wanted to tell Adrian about what had been going on in the past 24 hours with the Strigois but this secret would be too much for him. It was too much for me to deal with. Placing my right hand over my belly and closing my eyes to take a deep breath, in order to collect myself, I decided that for now I would keep this burden to myself.

"I want to come home." I said breaking the silence and opening my eyes to look at Adrian. "I'm done running way from my responsibilities. Lissa needs me. I should have never left her." I said trying to sound motivated but really I felt ashamed. I left Lissa to find Dim… but I failed. This mission was nothing more than a waste of time.

"You're right. Lissa does need you. Something is terribly wrong with her. I can't help her, I've tried. This is the reason I came to see you before. You need to come home right away." Adrian said worried.

"What do you mean? What is wrong with her?" I asked now becoming worried myself. I had checked up on her a few times since I had been in Russia and even though she seemed depressed about my departure, I never got the imprecision that something was deeply wrong with her. Hearing Adrian pleading with me to help Lissa now sent waves of panic throughout my entire body.

Removing the hand that had been resting on my arm this entire time, Adrian began to pace around in front of me. "She's become reckless. She drinks and parties all the time. Lissa even kissed Aaron. It is like her entire personality has changed. I knew that she would be upset about you leaving but this is insane. I tried to confront her about her actions one time and she basically stated that I was crazy for worrying over nothing and that she was just having fun." Adrian said stopping to look at me directly. "She even went as far as to accuse me of not knowing how to have a good time. " He stated pointing his thumb to his chest. "Really, me? " And then threw his hands in the air in outrage. "I'm like the 'King' of having a good time. "

To say I was shocked would definitely be an understatement. Adrian was right, this wasn't typical Lissa behavior. I needed to figure out what was going on with her.

"I need to leave." I said abruptly.

"Yes, finally someone who listens to me. Yes, you need to get back here. Pronto."

"Yes, yes, I know that but I need to leave this dream like right now. Let me out." I said impatiently.

"Oh yeah, then just leave." Adrian stated as he squinted his eyes at me in suspicion.

"What? I don't know how. Stop playing games. This is serious, let me out." I demanded becoming angry. Really Adrian this is not the time to keep me hostage in my dream.

"Before, you were able to leave the dream. I must admit that doesn't happen quite often." Adrian stated confused.

"Oh well maybe I just woke up." I responded annoyed.

"No you didn't. Once I have you, there is no escape." Adrian said still confused but I could see some amusement in his eyes.

What is he talking about? Oh wait, Nathan. I woke up because Nathan had attacked me. "Someone woke me up."

"Oh. I guess that could work. I thought maybe it had to do with you being shadow kissed. Like maybe you could contradict my powers. I'm glad to hear you can't. I guess this means I can keep you hostage in your dreams whenever I want." Adrian stated giving me a devilish smile.

Before I could object, my surroundings began to shift. As I looked around, I found myself back in the Alchemist's car. I wasn't quite sure how I had awoken. Typically when Adrian let me go I would just fade into one of my own dreams. I suppose my body must have felt the urgency to see Lissa and knew I couldn't afford to sleep any longer.

As I closed my eyes and relaxed my mind I silently hoped that Lissa wasn't sleeping. I mean, Adrian had dream walked me so there was a huge possibility it was night time back at the Academy. I wasn't sure about the time schedule.

To my luck, Lissa was awake. As I slipped into her mind, I was suddenly filled with all kinds of emotions: anger, hate, sadness, - fear. What is going on? As I searched through Lissa's mind to figure out what was happening to her, I eventually found it. Christian broke up with her. No wonder she was a mess. But this made no sense. They were perfect together. As I tried to look around Lissa's surroundings through her eyes, which was difficult since she refused to stay focus on anything too long, I figured out that she was in her own room. In addition, there was somebody else in the room with her. Avery. Even though I hated myself for not being here for Lissa in her time of need, a part of me was happy she wasn't alone.

At the sound of Lissa's voice, I quickly shut up and tried to focus only on her. I couldn't be there for her physically but I would try to be here with her mentally, despite the fact that she may never know I was even here.

"How could he do this to me?" Lissa asked crying.

"He doesn't deserve you." Avery replied.

"He didn't even give me a chance to explain myself." Lissa explained as she tried to talk through her tears.

"Forget about him." Avery said as wrapped her right arm around Lissa's shoulder. "Like I said…he doesn't deserve you. You will find someone else."

"I don't want anybody else. I want Christian." Lissa exclaimed, which caused more tears to fall from her eyes.

"Well apparently he doesn't want you. So we'll go searching for another man starting tomorrow." Avery said as she squeezed Lissa's shoulder.

"But…" Lissa exclaimed but before she could object Avery twisted her body around so they were making contact.

"Look how many times does he have to hurt you before you realize he isn't the 'one.' Move on. He is." Avery stated as she continued to maintain eye contact with Lissa. However as she continued to stare deep into Lissa's eyes, I sort of got the feeling she was also looking at me.

_You're right, I am looking at you._

What the…did she just talk to me?

_Yes, I'm talking to you. Are you stupid?_

This isn't real. I must have fallen asleep while I was in her mind.

_You're not sleeping. Look, I don't think you should visit Lissa's mind anymore. You're really not needed. She has moved on from you. Lissa has me now._

And just like that the world around me dissolved. Suddenly I was laying in the back seat of the car again. Immediately, I tried to re-enter Lissa's mind but I couldn't. I felt as though I was being blocked. Usually this would happen when Lissa was asleep but I knew that wasn't the reason this time. Avery was blocking me.

Putting the pieces together in my head, I figured that Avery must be a spirit user. It is the only thing that made sense. The ability to enter the minds of others as well as the charming personality was hard proof of it. These were the same traits Lissa, Adrian and Oksana had. I also came to the conclusion that if Avery could go into my brain while I was in Lissa's then there is a good possibility she would have the other capabilities as well. For instance, she could very well be the reason behind Lissa's new personality. Was it possible that she was somehow manipulating Lissa? But why wouldn't Lissa and Adrian see it. I thought they could sense Spirit magic. Was she blocking them somehow? These were answers I needed and the only way to get them was to return to the Academy and confront that bitch.

I knew I needed to get back to the Academy but I wasn't sure about how I would do that yet. So far I decided to continue pretending that I was sleeping. Maybe I could surprise attack the Alchemist. But then again, attacking him while we were driving would not be a good idea. As I tried to figure out what my next move would be, I, trying to be inconspicuous so that I didn't alert the Alchemist, looked out the windows to figure out our location. I could tell by, the frequent signs we passed with pictures of rest stops and fast food restaurants, we were on some sort of highway. Knowing that we were driving at high speeds definitely eliminated the surprise attack idea. In addition, I couldn't exactly open the car door and jump out. There would be no crazy James Bond escapes today apparently. I would have to escape the easy way; I needed him to pull over so I could run away.

Sitting up from my laying position across the backseat I asked, "Could we get off at the next exit?"

"Why?" The Alchemist replied looking at me in the rearview mirror.

"I have to use the bathroom." I stated trying to sound convincing.

"Could you wait?" The Alchemist answered sounding annoyed.

"I don't want to wait. Look there is fast food restaurant about 2 miles away." I exclaimed pointing to one of the highway signs as we passed it.

"I have clear orders to bring you to someone without any stops." The Alchemist explained showing no signs of budging. If I hadn't been in a hurry to get back to Lissa, I would have actually felt bad for what I was about to do. I had no doubts that whoever hired him would be furious at him because of my actions.

"Fine. Could you pass me that cup in your cup holder?" I asked.

"What for?"

"I'm going to relieve myself in it." I stated.

Instead of giving me the cup, the Alchemist put his right car blinker on to get over into the exit lane. I hadn't planned on actually relieving myself in the cup but I was happy that the Alchemist had thought so.

As we exited the off ramp and turned right into the fast food restaurant, I knew what I needed to do. I needed to return to Lissa immediately. She needed my help and Avery was in some serious need of an ass whipping. I had to escape from the Alchemist at whatever cost.

**I hope you enjoyed this chapter.**

**Please review**

**Thank you**


	11. Authors note

**Like I said in my other story, now that winter break is in session, this story and my other one have become top priority. I'm seriously going to work on finishing them. Expect updates in the next few weeks.**

**As promised for not updating here are some spoilers. They are not in any particularly order:**

_Rose is pregnant! How will her friends respond? What about Janine?_

_Rose believed Dimitri died in the hands of Galina…Galina will be back to give us that answer. It may not be what you expected. :x _

**I wish I could give more spoilers but this is my suspense story after all. **

**Anyways, as always...thanks for patiently waiting for this story to be updated. I will try my best not to disappoint. :)**


	12. Bonus

**As I commented on my other story, my hard drive crashed and I had to go without it for a while. I was able to fix it for $800 and will not hopefully be able to finally finish this story.**

**Here is a few scenes that will happen in the next few chapters. These scene aren't in any particular order.**

* * *

_Preview Scene One: _

Pulling away from Lissa's embrace, I turned around to face the _enemy _I came here to destroy.

"Hello, you must be Rose." she said planting a fake smile on her face and extending her hand to me. "I'm Avery. Lissa, has told me so much about you. I glad we finally get to meet _in person_."

"I hope you feel the same way after I remove my fist from your face." I replied.

* * *

_Preview Scene Two:_

"Mark-the other shadow kissed person, said you changed me when you brought me back to life." I explained.

"I know. We're bonding." Lissa replied.

"It's more than just the bond, Lissa. You changed me. I'm not the person I was before." I said pausing briefly to figure out how to voice my biggest fear, "When people die, they stay dead. By you bringing me back to life, you must have created some imbalance in nature. Something is happening to me that I can't explain."

"You're scaring me, Rose. What are you talking about?" Lissa asked me with concerned written all over her face.

"You should be scared. Whatever is happening to me might happen to you." I said trying to keep the fear out of my voice.

* * *

_Preview Scene Three:_

"You're pregnant!" Lissa exclaimed. "How did this happen?"

"Well, when two people love each other very much-" I replied with my typical Rose humor.

"I know how babies are made, Rose! I want to know how _this_ happen." Lissa stated.

"Well-" I began trying to find the words that would help me explain what was happening to me.

"I got her pregnant. The baby is mine." A man said from the doorway.

Turning around in the direction of the voice that spoke behind me, I couldn't wipe the shock off my face. There is the doorway stood...

* * *

**Thanks for reading! Please reply. **


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